I guess being a charity isn't a good reason to want to raise money

wolf · 02-28-2012, 09:39 AM

Our NYPD memorabilia collection went for around $90. The group of people that were going together on the bidding had kicked in around $150, if I remember right. I know it was well over the closing bid. We really wanted this stuff. So, anyway, when our designated bidder went to settle up at the end she gave the whole wad of cash to the girl, explaining that that was what we were willing to give the widows and orphans, and it wasn't our fault that the bidding closed lower at the final gavel (we had agreed on the disposition of the overbid beforehand).

What's sad at a silent auction are the items that don't get any bids at all. I sometimes bid at the reserve on those closer to the end, if I have any use at all for them, well, if I have room enough in my luggage.

The bidding wars can get ridiculous. I remember an amazon kindle3 wifi (they were new at that point) going for over $300, and an equally insane inflation on an ipod touch ... but the charity benefitted.

Sheldonrs · 03-01-2012, 07:53 AM

A follow-up. We forwarded the e-mail the the chapter that sponsored the event.
Here is what they found:

As a follow up to our exchange of emails about the ***** *** email sent last week to the national customer service center (see below), we have done some further investigation and now believe that***** ***is actually *** ****, whose name appears several times in the bid sheet for the Rascal Flatts guitar. She bid several times but did not receive the winning bid.

*** **** is a seventh grader.

We have not responded to her email and do not intend to respond. I have given consideration to contacting her parents to share the email with them, but have decided not to inject us into family matters. One of our volunteers knows the family and has said that the child’s parents would be appalled at the language in the email.

Please share this with the other staff who saw the original email. If you think we should do something different, let me know.

Lamplighter · 03-01-2012, 08:30 AM

The followup email sounds quite good to me.
They looked into the matter, and given the age (~12) of the kid, I think they made a reasonable decision.

From the kid's POV, it wasn't "fair", and that's an issue that is very important around that age.
It took a lot of repetition to our kids to balance the idea that "life isn't fair" with an optimistic outlook.

I hope if the kid's parents find out, they maintain an even keel between the language and the kid's situation.

Spexxvet · 03-02-2012, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lamplighter

They looked into the matter, and given the age (~12) of the kid, I think they made a reasonable decision.

Maybe she's 19 years old. That might explain some things.

Sheldonrs · 03-02-2012, 03:42 PM

It ain't over yet. Another update:

Just FYI, I decided to take ******** up on his request that we let him know if we thought he “should do something different” about the ***** **** e-mail.

I told **** that, although reasonable minds could differ on how best to proceed, if I were *** ****s parents (assuming, of course, that *** and ***** ****are the same person), I would very much want to know that my 11 or 12-year-old daughter had written such a foul and inappropriate e-mail. He acknowledged that he has gone back and forth -- and that he even asked someone recently to ascertain the parents’ contact information from the volunteer who knows the family (who, incidentally, also believes the parents should be told about the e-mail).

**** thanked me for calling and said he will take my position “under advisement”; and I assured him I would respect whatever decision he ultimately makes ...

Regards,

****

P.S. We also discussed the fact that the radio station which conducted the silent auction did, in fact, screw up -- and that ***/***** had a right to be upset (if only she had expressed her displeasure in a more appropriate manner).

02-28-2012, 09:39 AM	#1
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	Our NYPD memorabilia collection went for around $90. The group of people that were going together on the bidding had kicked in around $150, if I remember right. I know it was well over the closing bid. We really wanted this stuff. So, anyway, when our designated bidder went to settle up at the end she gave the whole wad of cash to the girl, explaining that that was what we were willing to give the widows and orphans, and it wasn't our fault that the bidding closed lower at the final gavel (we had agreed on the disposition of the overbid beforehand). What's sad at a silent auction are the items that don't get any bids at all. I sometimes bid at the reserve on those closer to the end, if I have any use at all for them, well, if I have room enough in my luggage. The bidding wars can get ridiculous. I remember an amazon kindle3 wifi (they were new at that point) going for over $300, and an equally insane inflation on an ipod touch ... but the charity benefitted. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

03-01-2012, 07:53 AM	#2
Sheldonrs Master Dwellar Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 4,412	A follow-up. We forwarded the e-mail the the chapter that sponsored the event. Here is what they found: As a follow up to our exchange of emails about the *** * email sent last week to the national customer service center (see below), we have done some further investigation and now believe that*** is actually , whose name appears several times in the bid sheet for the Rascal Flatts guitar. She bid several times but did not receive the winning bid. * **** is a seventh grader. We have not responded to her email and do not intend to respond. I have given consideration to contacting her parents to share the email with them, but have decided not to inject us into family matters. One of our volunteers knows the family and has said that the child’s parents would be appalled at the language in the email. Please share this with the other staff who saw the original email. If you think we should do something different, let me know. __________________ Laugh and the world laughs with you; cry and the world laughs AT you.

03-02-2012, 03:42 PM	#5
Sheldonrs Master Dwellar Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 4,412	It ain't over yet. Another update: Just FYI, I decided to take ****** up on his request that we let him know if we thought he “should do something different” about the * e-mail. I told that, although reasonable minds could differ on how best to proceed, if I were * **s parents (assuming, of course, that * and *** are the same person), I would very much want to know that my 11 or 12-year-old daughter had written such a foul and inappropriate e-mail. He acknowledged that he has gone back and forth -- and that he even asked someone recently to ascertain the parents’ contact information from the volunteer who knows the family (who, incidentally, also believes the parents should be told about the e-mail). thanked me for calling and said he will take my position “under advisement”; and I assured him I would respect whatever decision he ultimately makes ... Regards, P.S. We also discussed the fact that the radio station which conducted the silent auction did, in fact, screw up -- and that /**** had a right to be upset (if only she had expressed her displeasure in a more appropriate manner). __________________ Laugh and the world laughs with you; cry and the world laughs AT you.

03-01-2012, 08:30 AM	#3
Lamplighter Person who doesn't update the user title Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Bottom lands of the Missoula floods Posts: 6,402	The followup email sounds quite good to me. They looked into the matter, and given the age (~12) of the kid, I think they made a reasonable decision. From the kid's POV, it wasn't "fair", and that's an issue that is very important around that age. It took a lot of repetition to our kids to balance the idea that "life isn't fair" with an optimistic outlook. I hope if the kid's parents find out, they maintain an even keel between the language and the kid's situation.

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